Huddersfield racer Tom Sykes had to settle for two podium places in round five of the World Superbikes Championship.

While the 30-year-old

Kawasaki Racing Team rider claimed two third places at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, he slipped in the World Championship standings.

In both races the 2013 champion came home behind aruba.it Ducati rider Chaz Davies, with the Welshmen twice seeing off the challenge of Sykes’ KRT colleague reigning champion Jonathan Rea.

“Imola is a tight track and doesn’t leave much margin for error,” said Sykes.

“I think we had the possibility to do better in some areas, but there was never a real opportunity for a clean pass.

“But overall it was not at all bad in terms of consistency with the bike.

“The only problem is that once again we were

struggling to improve lap times.”

Rea still leads the rankings with 221 points from Davies on 186 and Sykes on 154.

It proved a problematic meeting for World Supersport rider Kyle Smith as the Huddersfield rider slipped back down the rankings.

Victory in the previous round in Holland had lifted him to third, but an 11th place finish in Italy saw him slip back to fourth.

“Imola is not a track that has favoured me in the past,” admitted the 24-year-old CIA Landlord Insurance Honda rider.

“But we had problems through the meeting with a flat tyre and then a small crash in practice and qualification.”

Race-winner Kenan Sofuoglu leads the standings with 86 points from his Kawasaki teammate Randy Krummenacher on 71, MV Augusta rider Jules

Cluzel on 58 and Smith is now fourth on 46.

World Superbike Championship Round Five, Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola – Race One: Race: 1 Chaz Davies (Gbr) Ducati 32mins 15.999secs, 2 Jonathan Rea (Gbr) Kawasaki 32:19.405, 3 Tom Sykes (Gbr) Kawasaki 32:19.728, 4 Jordi Torres (Spa) BMW 32:29.630, 5 Davide Giugliano (Ita) Ducati 32:35.947

Race Two: 1 Chaz Davies (Gbr) Ducati 34mins 07.278secs, 2 Jonathan Rea (Gbr) Kawasaki 34:11.540, 3 Tom Sykes (Gbr) Kawasaki 34:11.882, 4 Davide Giugliano (Ita) Ducati 34:20.371, 5 Leon Camier (Gbr) MV Augusta 34:23.528

World Championship Standings: 1 Jonathan Rea (Gbr) Kawasaki 221pts, 2 Chaz Davies (Gbr) Ducati 186, 3 Tom Sykes (Gbr) Kawasaki 154, 4 Michael van der Mark (Ned) Honda 106, 5 Davide Giugliano (Ita) Ducati 88